Just In Case"
by barefootchick
Summary: Tony and Angela decide on something that the kids and Mona get the wrong impression of


Who's The Boss?   
Fanfiction   
Everything that has to do with Who's The Boss belongs to the creators. I'm just borrowing the characters for a little while to have fun with them. This story takes places right after the second season episode, "The Anniversary Show". I'm not strictly going by a normal script format. I'm just having scenes because the story's not long enough for five acts.   
  
"Just In Case"   
  
  
TEASER   
  
FADE IN: Living room of house   
(The front door opens and Tony hobbles in, holding his right side and trying not to laugh)   
  
TONY:   
Angela, don't make me laugh. I still have stitches.   
  
(Angela walks in behind him with a duffel bag and giggles)   
  
ANGELA:   
Well, it seems I have you....in stitches.   
  
(Tony slowly walks over to the couch and gently lays down)   
  
ANGELA:   
(holds up the duffel bag)   
I'll just run this up to your room. Do you need anything?   
  
TONY:   
Don't worry about me, Angela. I can get it myself.   
  
ANGELA:   
Tony...you're still recuperating from your operation.   
  
TONY:   
(tries to get up from the couch without hurting himself)   
See, I'm fine.   
(He starts to walk toward the kitchen slowly and then stops and heads back to the couch, all the while clutching his right side)   
Okay, that wasn't so good.   
  
(Angela drops the bag by the side of the stairs and walks to the kitchen door)   
  
ANGELA:   
What do you need, Tony?   
  
(Tony sits down on the couch and nods his head firmly)   
  
TONY:   
A beer.   
  
(Angela's eyes widen)   
  
ANGELA:   
Tony....that's the last thing you need.   
  
TONY:   
But it's the first thing I want.   
  
ANGELA:   
I can't believe I'm hearing the health nut of the family say that.   
  
TONY:   
Angela, I'm just joking around.   
  
ANGELA:   
Oh, right.   
(She seems troubled, and then smiles.)   
All right, then. I'll just get you some orange juice.   
  
TONY:   
Sounds great. Just don't get your tie caught in the glass.   
(He starts laughing)   
  
(Angela gets a shocked look on her face)   
ANGELA:   
Mother told you about that?   
  
TONY:   
Yeah. I think that's why I'm the housekeeper and you're not. Have you ever picked out my tee-shirt fibers from a meatloaf?   
(Keeps on laughing)   
  
ANGELA:   
(huffs)   
Well, maybe you don't need the orange juice after all.   
  
TONY:   
(stops laughing)   
I'm sorry, Angela. I really do want some juice. Pwease?   
  
ANGELA:   
Okay. I know I can't cook, but do you have to rub it in?   
(goes into the kitchen)   
  
END OF TEASER   
  
  
FIRST SCENE:   
  
Living room of house   
  
Tony is sleeping on the couch and Angela walks over and sits on the arm of the couch   
  
ANGELA:   
(whispering)   
Tony? Tony? TONY!   
  
TONY:   
What!   
(he falls off the couch...he gets up slowly and glares at Angela...he sits down on the couch)   
  
TONY:   
What was that for?   
  
ANGELA:   
I'm sorry, Tony. I just thought I'd let you know that it's dinnertime.   
  
TONY:   
Well, you picked a hell of a way to tell me. Are you going to sound a foghorn for breakfast?   
  
ANGELA:   
I told you I was sorry. The kids and Mother are out tonight, so it's just going to be the two of us.   
  
TONY:   
(looks suspiciously at her)   
You didn't cook, did you?   
  
ANGELA:   
No, I ordered in tonight. How are you feeling?   
  
TONY:   
Better. (he rubs his right side) I'm still a little sore, but I'll manage. What's for dinner?   
  
ANGELA:   
It's a little dish I like to call "Pizza by Firelight".   
  
TONY:   
What kind of pizza is that?   
  
ANGELA:   
(gestures toward the fireplace...there's a fire burning merrily)   
You take a pizza, two glasses of champagne, and two best friends and place them in front of a roaring fire. We didn't get to finish our dinner the other night, so I thought I'd give it a second chance.   
  
  
SECOND SCENE:   
  
(the pizza is half gone and so is the bottle of champagne....Tony and Angela are laying comfortably in front of the fire with the champagne glasses nearby)   
  
ANGELA:   
Did you mean what you said in the hospital?   
  
TONY:   
(has a guarded look on his face)   
What did I say?   
  
ANGELA:   
About me taking care of Samantha if something happened to you.   
  
TONY:   
(relaxes)   
Of course, I meant it. You're her mother. Why wouldn't you have custody of her if something happened to me?   
(realizes what he just said)   
I mean, you're like a mother to her.   
  
ANGELA:   
Right. (pauses to take a sip of champagne) But, you know, Tony. If she needed a legal guardian, I wouldn't be the first choice. One of her relatives would get custody of her.   
  
TONY:   
I guess so. But, chances are, nothing's going to happen to me.   
  
ANGELA:   
I know, but what if you did die before Sam turns 18?   
  
TONY:   
Angela, you're bringing me down. Well, why don't we make it legal?   
  
ANGELA:   
Why don't we make what legal?   
  
TONY:   
You getting custody of Samantha if I die.   
  
ANGELA:   
You would do that? Are you sure I'm the right choice?   
  
TONY:   
Angela, you're perfect. You love her, well, like a mother should.   
  
ANGELA:   
Tony...that's the sweetest thing anyone's ever said to me.   
(she leans over and hugs him)   
Oh, but what about Jonathan?   
  
TONY:   
What about him?   
  
ANGELA:   
What if something happens to me? I have to make the same stipulation in my will that you're going to make in yours, Tony. I want you to have custody of Jonathan if I die.   
  
TONY:   
What about Mona? Won't she be hurt? She is his grandmother, after all.   
  
ANGELA:   
I think she'd understand. She doesn't need the responsibility of raising a child at her age.   
  
TONY:   
Are you sure?   
  
ANGELA:   
Why not? You've been more of a father to him than Michael has.   
  
TONY:   
Okay, it's settled then. We can change our wills this week.   
  
(Tony and Angela hold up their glasses and clink them together)   
  
ANGELA:   
Tony, do you have a lawyer?   
  
TONY:   
No. But then again, I don't think I have a will either.   
  
THIRD SCENE:   
  
(in the kitchen, the phone rings and Samantha grabs it after the first ring)   
  
SAMANTHA:   
Bower household. Samantha speaking. (pauses) Oh, okay. I'll get him for you.   
(swings the kitchen door open)   
DAD!!!!! Phone for you!!!!   
  
TONY:   
(walks in the kitchen rubbing his ears)   
Geez, Sam. Could you shout a little louder? I'm sure China didn't hear you.   
(holds the phone up to his ear)   
Hello? Oh, hi, Mrs. Meluchi. (puts his hand over the mouthpiece)   
Sam, this is private. Can you go in the living room while I talk on the phone?   
  
SAMANTHA:   
(looks puzzled, then shrugs)   
Sure, Dad.   
(goes into the living room)   
  
TONY   
(uncovers the mouthpiece)   
I need to make an appointment with Mr. Cimorelli for sometime this week. I need to begin the process of making up a will.   
(pauses for a moment)   
4 o'clock tomorrow? Sure. See you then. Bye.   
(hangs up the phone...he starts whistling and goes into the living room...he walks past Sam and goes upstairs)   
  
Scene changes to Angela's bedroom....the door is open and Mona walks by as Angela talks on the phone   
  
ANGELA   
Yes, Mrs. Meluchi. 4 o'clock tomorrow would be perfect. Yes, it would make sense if Tony and I were there at the same time. And a lot more convenient for Mr. Cimorelli. I understand. Thank you, Mrs. Meluchi. Goodbye.   
  
(Mona's mouth drops open and her eyes widen. She covers her mouth and hurries downstairs. As she comes down the stairs, she sees Sam sitting on the couch, once again looking puzzled)   
  
MONA   
Hey, Samantha. What's going on?   
  
SAMANTHA   
Dad just got a call. It was from the law office of Brian Cimorelli. Isn't he Angela's lawyer?   
  
MONA   
(sits on the couch)   
Yes, he is. That's strange. I just heard Angela talking to Mr. Cimorelli's secretary. She said that she and Tony would be in his office at the same time.   
  
SAMANTHA   
Do you think there's something they're not telling us? Maybe something happened to Dad in the hospital.   
  
MONA   
I'm sure it's nothing, Samantha. It's probably something routine.   
  
SAMANTHA   
But what if it's not? Is there another reason that people have lawyers? The woman on the phone said that she needed to talk to Dad about the custody agreement.   
  
MONA   
Custody? Hmmm.....   
(Mona and Samantha look at each other for a moment and then Mona grins)   
  
MONA   
Maybe something did happen....   
  
(Samantha looks puzzled)   
  
SAMANTHA   
Like what?   
  
MONA   
Sometimes, lawyers are needed to legally share assets....or something else.   
  
SAMANTHA   
What are you saying, Mona?   
  
MONA   
Who is there to have custody of? You and Jonathan, right? What if Tony wanted to get custody of Jonathan? What reason would there be for that?   
  
SAMANTHA   
Well, if Dad and Angela...Oh, my god. Oh, my god!!!! If Dad and Angela got married! Do you think that's it?   
  
MONA   
It's the theory I like best. But we can't jump to conclusions.   
  
(Samantha looks at Mona reproachfully)   
  
MONA   
Okay, you can't jump to conclusions.   
  
(Jonathan walks in the living room from the kitchen with a glass of juice...he still has his jacket on)   
  
JONATHAN   
Hey, Grandma. Hey, Sam. What's going on?   
(he sits down in one of the chairs)   
  
(Samantha and Mona look at each other again)   
  
SAMANTHA   
Should we tell him?   
  
MONA   
Maybe if we paid him not to squeal.   
  
JONATHAN   
Tell me what? I can keep a secret.   
  
SAMANTHA   
Dad and Angela are seeing the same lawyer.   
  
JONATHAN   
So?   
  
SAMANTHA   
We think that Dad wants to get custody of you.   
  
JONATHAN   
He does? What about my dad?   
  
MONA   
If Tony and Angela got married, Tony could be your dad.   
  
JONATHAN   
He would? Cool! Tony's a good guy.   
(he sets his glass on the coffee table and races upstairs)   
  
SAMANTHA   
Don't you think we should ask Dad and Angela what's going on?   
  
MONA   
They'll tell us when they're ready, but in the meantime....   
  
Scene changes to upstairs...Tony's bedroom...he's putting away clothes in his dresser and has a basket of clothes next to the bed....Jonathan runs in and rushes over to Tony...he hugs him and starts to run out of the room   
  
TONY   
Hey, champ. What was that for?   
  
JONATHAN   
(stops and shrugs)   
Just because. See you later...Dad. (he grins and runs out of the room)   
  
TONY   
Dad?   
(raises his eyebrows)   
(he closes his dresser drawer, picks up the basket of clothes and walks out of the room...he walks into Angela's bedroom and sets the basket on the floor in front of her dresser...Angela comes out of the bathroom)   
  
ANGELA   
Thanks, Tony.   
(notices the confused expression on Tony's face)   
Is something wrong?   
  
TONY   
Jonathan just gave me a hug and I could have sworn he called me Dad.   
  
ANGELA   
Are you sure?   
  
TONY   
Pretty sure. Why would he do that? I'm not his father.   
  
ANGELA   
But you're his primary role model. Maybe he thinks of you as his father since he rarely sees Michael.   
  
TONY   
Do you think we should have a talk with him?   
  
ANGELA   
Let's do it tomorrow. We were going to tell the kids about our wills anyway.   
  
FOURTH SCENE   
Living room...there's a cake on the coffee table with the word "Congratulations" written on it...the room is dark...the door opens and Tony and Angela walk in...they're surprised at the lights being off...   
  
TONY   
Is there a surprise party I don't know about?   
  
ANGELA   
Not that I know of. Mother, Samantha, Jonathan? Anyone home?   
  
(the kitchen door swings open and Mona, Samantha, and Jonathan walk into the living room)   
  
ALL   
Congratulations!   
  
ANGELA   
Congratulations? Mother, what's going on?   
  
MONA   
What makes you think I planned this?   
  
ANGELA   
Just an instinct.   
  
TONY   
Did we do something that we're not aware of?   
  
SAMANTHA   
You two are engaged, aren't you?   
  
ANGELA   
(sits down on the couch)   
Engaged? Honey, whatever gave you that idea?   
  
SAMANTHA   
(sits next to Angela)   
Mona said that's why you and Dad went to the same lawyer. Dad wants custody of Jonathan when you and he get married.   
  
JONATHAN   
So, Tony can be my dad!   
  
ANGELA   
(covers her mouth in surprise)   
Oh, no. Is that the impression we gave you?   
  
TONY   
I think now's a good time to tell them.   
  
SAMANTHA   
Tell us what?   
  
(Tony sits in a chair and motions for Jonathan to sit on his lap...he does this while Mona sits in the other chair)   
  
TONY   
We're not engaged. Not even close. The reason we went to the same lawyer is because we needed to sign papers to change our wills.   
  
ANGELA   
In case something happens to one of us, we want the best person to take care of you. I decided that if something happens to me, I would want Tony to have custody of Jonathan.   
  
TONY   
And if I die, I want Angela to have custody of Samantha. (looks at Jonathan) Do you understand?   
  
JONATHAN   
(looks disappointed)   
Yeah. I'm sorry. I won't call you Dad again.   
  
TONY   
(hugs Jonathan)   
It's okay, Jonathan. We're still friends, right?   
  
JONATHAN   
Yeah. But I'd rather call you Dad than anyone else.   
  
TONY   
Thanks, buddy. That's a really nice thing to say.   
  
SAMANTHA   
I'm sorry we thought the wrong thing. Angela, I think you're the best mother a kid could have.   
  
ANGELA   
You do? (hugs Samantha) That's so sweet.   
  
JONATHAN   
I know I can't call you Dad, Tony. But do you think I ever could?   
  
TONY   
(looks at Angela with the question in his eyes...she smiles and nods)   
Maybe someday.   
  
  
THE END   
I hope you liked it. You can post comments on the message board or e-mail them to raven_belle@hotmail.com :) 


End file.
